In all our Military Branches. Which one is significant the most in your family?

joeykoins

I do realize there can be more than one choice. Please pick one that is more prevalent. Thank you and Thank You guys, for your wonderful Service!

joeykoins

Army

My Father's choice to serve.
Thank You, Dad!

lkeigwin

Navy

Descended from the Commodore(s) Perry family. Naval officers for scores of years.
Lance.

pursuitofliberty

Navy

My son and I both served proudly. I was an AT2 (F/A-18's), and he was a MM2 (Sub's)

blitzdude

Marines

Me and Grandpa both served in The Suck. Semper Fi! RGDS!

Weiss

Now that's a tough one. My wife's father was in the Marines. He had twelve brothers who all served in various branches. So thirteen boys all told.
Guinness Book is considering them for the most siblings who served (the current record is only 9).

Here are the seven who served during WWII. Their tours included Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, and some truly horrific battles. Every single one made it back alive and undamaged--physically at least. My father in law (not shown) was the 2nd to final boy born, so he served between Korea and Vietnam.

joeykoins

Army

@Weiss said:
Now that's a tough one. My wife's father was in the Marines. He had twelve brothers who all served. So thirteen boys all told.
Guinness Book is considering them for the most siblings who served (the current record is only 9).

Here are the seven who served during WWII. Their tours included Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, and some truly horrific battles. Every single one made it back alive and undamaged--physically at least. My father in law (not shown) was the 2nd to final boy born, so he served between Korea and Vietnam.

Wow! How beautiful is that?
Awesome, dude.

Unknown

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Davideo

Navy

Family member is an Annapolis grad so I went with Navy. But no Space Force as an option...?

Downtown1974

No way I could choose one.

Father served in the Air Force.
Paternal grandfather served in the Navy.
Maternal grandfather served in the Army.
Father in-law served in the Marines.

logger7

Navy

Father and uncle were officers in Navy; cousin was a captain and retired to work as a school teacher.

Correct me if I'm wrong but Memorial day is more a commemoration of those who sacrificed lives or lost limbs, etc. in the military, than a "celebration".

‘They came to the fields of joy, the fresh turf of the Fortunate Woods and the dwellings of the Blessed . . . here was the company of those who had suffered wounds fighting for their fatherland.’ (Roman. Virgil, Aeneid, vi. 638-9, 660)

jesbroken

Most of my male family, father, brother, uncles and cousins incuding myself, were Air Force Veterans(of course my father and a couple of uncles were Army Air Corps until 1947). Below is apic of Dad and crew with DOC(shot down) and then his new plane named after my Mom "Ruth Please!". Also crash landed in 1945 after a flak hit in an engine. All crew members survived both crashes. 2 out of 4 planes with all crew making it. It's neat but I have emails from the son of the man(in the photo) who painted most of the B-24's at Leece Italy and other places.
May God Bless all families this Memorial Day weekend regardless of affiliations.
Jim

Jzyskowski1

Navy

I’m torn , as my brother was Army and my aunt was a captain WW2 , Army.
My pop CPO Navy WW2 but the one who really stands out is grandpa. WW1 Navy, submarines
Bless and keep all our troops former and current.
Thank you especially, to those who gave everything for our freedom.
Thanks. Jzyskowski and the boys 😉🙀🦫

WAYNEAS

Navy

I served in the Navy.
I was an E5 when I left.
Served on a tin can from 1970 to 1974 active and 1975 to 1976 inactive.
Wayne

relicsncoins

Navy

My Grandpa served in the army in North Africa during WW2. My Dad served in the army in Vietnam and I served 10 years in the Navy.

wev

Army

Two cousins were West Point grads and boring as mud. Father was on Patton's staff starting in Italy. Great aunt joined up in 1939, served in three wars in the ANC, retiring as a colonel with a bronze star to her credit. This is her in Korea 1952 with the 8076th MASH. On the back she noted "10° this morning -- balmy."

joeykoins

Army

Awesome stories guys.
I thank you guys too for your service, as well!
Thank You.

I, myself, had never spent anytime in the military. Just wasn't meant, I guess?
Neither has my 4 other siblings.

Downtown1974

My father, who served in the Air Force amassed an incredible record collection while traveling the world during his 4 years in the service. He continued when he returned home and to this day still attends record shows.

BJandTundra

Air Force

Had to vote USAAF my father's service in WW2. Just finished transcribing his Diary from 1943-1945 before the years made it totally unreadable. Making a book with comments and pictures for each of the grand kids and the local historical society. Waiting for its return from the printers as we speak. I hope his descendants find it interesting in fifty years.

pmh1nic

Army

Army. I was told to show up at Whitehall St. in Manhattan on June 13th, 1972 or else.

OAKSTAR

Air Force

Had to vote USAAF for my dad as will. His enlistment entry date: 17 Dec 1941. Ten days after Pearl Harbor!

UPDATE: My dad's ship. Yes, it was called a ship.

GRANDAM

Air Force

My Father served in the Air Force during the Korean War era.

EXOJUNKIE

Air Force

34+ years in the active duty Air Force and now retired and still serving as a civilian. Air Force all the way! 🇺🇸

Walkerfan

Navy

My uncle on my dad's side was a Pearl Harbor survivor.

My great uncle on my mom's side was a Navy bomber pilot.

kiyote

Army

@lkeigwin said:
Descended from the Commodore(s) Perry family. Naval officers for scores of years.
Lance.

Even people that don’t know much about naval history at all know commodore Perry’s name. I learned about it on Put In Bay Island. You have a relative on a state quarter!

relicsncoins

Navy

@kiyote said:

@lkeigwin said:
Descended from the Commodore(s) Perry family. Naval officers for scores of years.
Lance.

Even people that don’t know much about naval history at all know commodore Perry’s name. I learned about it on Put In Bay Island. You have a relative on a state quarter!

I served on the USS Rentz, FFG-46. It was an Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate.

lkenefic

Marines

I graduated from Camp Lejeune HS... my father was in the Marines, but he had also been in the Army in the last years of WWII. I took a Navy ROTC scholarship when I graduated... so, we have three branches of the service represented...

lkeigwin

Navy

@kiyote said:

@lkeigwin said:
Descended from the Commodore(s) Perry family. Naval officers for scores of years.
Lance.

Even people that don’t know much about naval history at all know commodore Perry’s name. I learned about it on Put In Bay Island. You have a relative on a state quarter!

Thanks for that!

Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry (Battle of Lake Erie, 1813) whose battle flag carried "Don't Give Up the Ship", is also remembered for his message to Gen'l William H. Harrison, "We have met the enemy and they are ours." His victory over the British in the War of 1812 is commemorated on the 2013 American The Beautiful quarter.

His brother, Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry, played a leading role in opening up trade with Japan. He is remembered for his persuasive technique: turn all your ships' guns on Japan and threaten to destroy them. How clever!

There's a bit more to his naval history and contributions like creating a steam-powered navy. But best of all: he was a coin collector! During his seafaring he acquired a wide variety of Greek, Roman, medieval, Islamic, American and modern World pieces. Most weren't very high grade or rare. I missed out on the 1995 Bowers and Morena auction. I would love to own one of his coins.
Lance (Perry Keigwin).

crazyhounddog

Air Force

My beloved dad was in the Air Force. Then worked for NASA at Ames research Center at Moffit Field air base in, Mountain View, California until he retired. He worked in cardiovascular research for the astronauts. He was a very smart man and I was extremely proud to call him my dad. I do miss him. I always will.

Edited to say I would have loved to post a pic of him back then but unfortunately we lost that picture album in the fire. I swear if I knew it was still in there I would have run back in and grabbed it.

BaronVonBaugh

Air Force

My wife and I both served in the USAF. I had two uncles that served in the Army in WW2. My wife’s father served in the Army in Vietnam. Her grandfather served in the Marines in WW2.

joeykoins

Army

@crazyhounddog said:
My beloved dad was in the Air Force. Then worked for NASA at Ames research Center at Moffit Field air base in, Mountain View, California until he retired. He worked in cardiovascular research for the astronauts. He was a very smart man and I was extremely proud to call him my dad. I do miss him. I always will.

Edited to say I would have loved to post a pic of him back then but unfortunately we lost that picture album in the fire. I swear if I knew it was still in there I would have run back in and grabbed it.

So sorry brother.
That fire caused more damage then the obvious.

nwcoast

Army

My faher served in the Army at the end of WW2 and later in Korea.
My son in law is special forces, so yes indeed- big connections to the Army.
A heartfelt thanks to all those that have served in all the complimentary branches.

In4apenny

Hard to answer, Dad, two uncles WWII Army, One marines, served in Europe and South Pacific. 2 first cousins in Navy,
Nephew Marines served in Iraq, his dad, My brother was a LRRP 1st Marine Division, Vietnam same time in Country as me, Army Security Agency, 5th Infantry, 1st Battalion, Armored Combat team, DMZ, Dong Ha, Quang Tri, Da Nang. We spent Christmas in Hue. Every Day is a blessing. Cheers.

ricko

Navy

In my family... Only one - Yours truly.... Cheers, RickO

Crypto

Army

My brothers and I at a rare moment of down time Nov 2001, RIP to the ones who don’t make it home

Pnies20

Army

Army

Brother
Brother in law - 5th group
Grandfather - WW2 Pacific

Unknown

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EdGOhio

Army

Father, Korean war/Army Air, 2 older brothers Army lifers Master Sargent and Lt. Col. Myself Army and 6 years was enough 77-83'.
Thanks to all that served, regardless of branch, including those at home supporting the family during difficult times.

Aspie_Rocco

Navy

My StepDad, Uncle, and myself were all sailors.
2001-2005 OEF, GWOT, VAW-112, CVN-70

3stars

Army

Four years active, 20 and counting as a civilian

DRUNNER

USAFA '78

joeykoins

Army

Thank You guys, for participating.
All our families, and their commitments to serve the ultimate sacrifice for our country's freedom!
We love all of them, dearly.
Concerning the voting, thus far.
Army & Navy are neck and neck.

DCW

Army

My father and I served in the Army during Vietnam and Iraq, respectively. Both grandfathers of mine served in the Pacific during WWII, one in the Army and the other in the Navy.
My mother's great grandfather was also an Army man, fought in the Civil War with the NJ 34th Infantry.
All of us made it through, by the grace of God.

FreeThinker

Army

My grandfather served in the Army during World War I, but never ever spoke about his time overseas to anyone, not even to my grandmother. The whole family knew that topic was simply off limits, period.

Grandpa's 1972 obituary states that, "In 1918, he enlisted in the Army serving overseas for sixteen months in the 325th Infantry of the 82nd Division. He was discharged in May 1919. He enrolled in the Bible College of Drake University in 1923 and was ordained in the Christian ministry in the Mondamin Avenue Church in Des Moines on July 24, 1924."

Herb_T

Air Force

My dads brother, Lt. Claude A. Turner was a B-24 bomber pilot in the Army Air Corp in WWII. My dad signed up and took the pilots test, fortunately he didn’t make it. He ended up being a Staff Sargent repairing and maintaining planes. His younger brother sign up as well.

My uncle Claude and his crew were part of 177 B-24s that did the first and only low level bombing run in WWII. They left Benghazi, Libya and flew to Ploesti, Rumania where the refinery plants were making fuels for Hitlers war machine. This was August 1, 1943. The bombs they carried had time delay fuses in them since the planes were bombing no more than 100 ft altitude.

The defenses at the refineries was supposed to be a few anti-aircraft guns and manned by poorly skilled Rumanians, but the reality was that the Germans had significantly bolstered the anti-aircraft guns and added a large number of machine guns. These were manned by Germans that were skilled. In the end 1/3 of the planes were shot down or crashed.

The bomb bay had some of the bombs removed and added additional fuel pods so they could make it back to Benghazi. My uncles plane had both left engines shot up, rudder cables were damaged to be inoperable as well as some of the fuel pods were shot and leaking. There was no way he was going to make it to Benghazi. He turned to Turkey as they were a neutral party in WWII. He landed in Turkey where he, his crew and plane were interned.

I have all the letters from Claude to his wife Minnie, and from her to him. I have a treasure trove of his military records including his various flight schools in the USA and all of the records the military had that covered his time in any plane, whether it be training or missions.

He and his crew had pretty lax conditions. Lunch, swimming in the Mediterranean, dinner and attending entertainment at night. After being there a month, Claude and his navigator were not in the bunk area in the morning. They were helped by an underground extraction team out of Turkey. 6 weeks later he showed up in England back with his bomber squadron.

He took some refresher flights and was back at…his second mission was over Bremen, Germany on November 13, 1943. On his return he picked up a German fighter that shot him down over the North Sea. He was listed as MIA and a year later was declared dead.

He was awarded the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, several others as well as a group Presidential Citation. Unfortunately he also received the Purple Heart. I have all of these except his Silver Star.

The only photo I have of my uncles plane, it was in the desert outside Benghazi. I was able to determine it was his based on the tail number. I don’t know, but I am guessing that is my uncle behind the crew.

His wife

Some of the flight records…

Herb_T

Air Force

I wish I had these items before my dad passed away 2 years ago, he was 96-2/3. It was after he passed away that I got a box of his stuff I never knew existed. I got Claude’s military trunk contents from a cousin. One of the letters that Minnie wrote Claude was about my dad coming to visit her for a few days. I would have loved to have read that letter to my dad…I am sure he would have had a big grin.

In Claude’s letters to Minnie he always wrote about coming home by Christmas. He would have been eligible to return back home after 25 missions. It was heart crushing reading his letters about coming home by Christmas when I already knew he wouldn’t make Thanksgiving.

The crew from his plane that flew in Operation Tidal Wave all survived the war…all but Claude. The crew that didn’t escape with Claude rode out the war in Turkey. His navigator that escaped with him didn’t fly any more missions and ended up well after the war retiring as a Major. Knowing all of this it is very gut wrenching. I know my dad from just the few things he said to me was very proud of his brother. They were certainly the greatest generation.

leothelyon

None! Couldn't serve due to deafness in one ear. I'll never be the man like those who have served.

AUandAG

Army

I'm Army, 1966-1972.
My father was blind in one eye and when WW2 broke out he tried every branch to enlist... nobody would take him. So, he packed up the family and moved to SF to work in the Shipyards as a welder on Liberty Ships for the duration of the war.
My Uncle, Dads brother, was much younger and too young for WW2, but not for Korea and he enlisted in the Navy and was assigned to a destroyer for the duration of the war. He always said that destroyers had no place on the ocean!
RIP all you warriors, you are sorely missed by your family and friends.
bob

ElKevvo

Navy

Tough one...my family is spread out over the Navy, Air Force and Army. My mom was an Air Force Captain when she married my dad who was a Navy Lieutenant , they met in the Azores where my mom was stationed and my dad was flying in and out of doing ASW work in the Med. My dad was not a big fan of my mom out ranking him so at one point my mom resigned her Active Duty commission, went into the Reserves and eventually mustered out. Plenty of other relatives were Army going back to the 1880's. But 'cause I spent most of my youth and teenage years living on various Naval Bases I went with the Navy in the poll.

Below are some artifacts from my family in regards to my Uncle Richard who was killed on the Arizona 12/7/1941. Most of his items (medals, paperwork, etc.) that I know of have been placed in the care of the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor and the ones that I have will be there within the next couple of years.

Please remember the ones who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom this Memorial day!

K

OAKSTAR

Air Force

Some great documents there @Herb_T !! Thanks for sharing!!

Hydrant

Four Little Hydrants Celebrating Memorial Day

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